Craig Levein has warned Steve Clarke that the Scotland job isn’t necessarily what you’d expect as an outsider looking in – and not good for the waistline either.

Levein’s tenure in charge of the national team ran from 2009 to 2012 and the Hearts boss has since spoken of how he struggled with the lack of day to day involvement and how to fill his days between squad get togethers and matches.

Much of his time was spent traveling the country visiting various clubs to watch players and take in training sessions. The pit stops at McDonald’s saw him gain weight and the international down time was generally not enjoyable.

Clarke has emerged as the people’s favourite to replace Alex McLeish, but Levein issued a reminder that the top job comes with cons as well as pros.

“Having experienced it the job is not what you think it is,” he said.

“It doesn’t bring the same things that day-to-day that football management does, which is that constant involvement with players and constantly keeping your mind active on who you are going play next week, you get loads and loads of different problems you need to solve before the next game comes around.

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“With the Scotland job there is long, long periods of inactivity which I spent going down to England looking at clubs and watching games and stopping at McDonald’s and putting two stone on.

“It’s not the same. It’s a football management job but it’s not the same.

“If you crave that day-to-day involvement then it’s a hell of a frustrating job, forgetting about anything else, just from the point of view of what you are doing on a weekly basis and how you fill that time productively.

“I have been lucky enough just about all of my life to be involved with football where it’s not a job, it doesn’t seem like I am going to my work.

“I consider myself hugely fortunate I have been involved like that.

“But the Scotland job isn’t that, for me the feeling wasn’t the same as I had at Dundee United before I went there, or at Leicester, or at Hearts the time before or even at Cowdenbeath.

Levein when in charge of Scotland

“That was part-time but I was there most of the time!

“For someone who craves that level of activity it’s not the right job.

“I’m not saying someone couldn’t do it successfully, I’m saying there are huge differences.

“I’d be interested to hear the thoughts of other people who have done the job. But that was my biggest frustration, not being able to work with and develop players and have that day-to-day activity.

“I don’t know what Stevie’s thoughts are, or Davie Moyes’ or anyone who is in the running for the job but that’s how I felt.”

Domestically, Clarke has improved Kilmarnock beyond recognition since taking over 18 months ago, to the extent that they are on the verge of qualifying for Europe for the first time in 18 years.